First Nephi

The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon and the first of four books with the name Nephi. It is a first-person narrative of the prophet Nephi, who wrote of events that began around 600 BC. Nephi's family escaped from Jerusalem before its destruction by Babylonia, survived in the wilderness, built a ship, and sailed to the Americas.

Introduction
The book opens by saying that it was an account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and their four sons, named Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. God warned Lehi to depart from the land of Jerusalem because he prophesied unto the people concerning the impending Babylonian invasion, and they took a three days' journey into the wilderness. Nephi took his family and returned to Jerusalem after the record of the Jews, and they took the daughters of Ishmael as wives. They took their families into the wilderness, and Nephi's brethren rebelled against him, leading to Nephi confounding them and building a ship. They sailed until they landed in the promised land, and it was revealed that Nephi wrote the record.

Chapter 1
Nephi began the record of his people - in 600 BC, Lehi saw in vision a pillar of fire and read from a book of prohecy, praising God, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, and foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem; he was persecuted by the Jews. Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, was taught by his father and claimed to have a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God. He decided to make a record in the language of his father, which consisted of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. In the first year of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, Lehi had his vision from God, and he was overcome by the Spirit. He was carried away in a vision, seeing the heavens open, and thinking that he saw God sitting on the throne while seeing numberless concourses of angels who were singing and praising their God. He then saw one descend from the midst of heaven, seeing twelve others follow him, with all of them coming to the Earth. The first came and stood beside Lehi, giving him a book and telling him to read it. As Lehi read, he was filled with the spirit of God. His father was warned about the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Jews in Babylonia, and he made a record of these events. Nephi proceeded to make an abridgement of the record upon plates which he made with his own hands, and he also sought to make an account of his own life. The Jews mocked Lehi because of his testaments, testifying of their wickedness and their abominations, as well as of the coming of a Messiah and of the redemption of the world. When the Jews heard these things, they were angry with him, and Nephi swore to show his readers the tender mercies of the God upon those whom he chose, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

Chapter 2
Lehi took his family into the wilderness by the Red Sea, leaving their property. Lehi offered a sacrifice to God and taught his sons to keep the commandments - Laman and Lemuel murmured against their father, while Nephi was obedient and prayed in faith; God spoke to him, and he was chosen to rule over his brethren.

It came to pass that God had spake unto Lehi, and he commanded Lehi to take his family and depart into the wilderness. He was obedient, departing into the wilderness and leaving behind his house, his inherited land, his gold, his silver, and his precious things, taking only his family, provisions, and tents. They settled by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea, traveling in the wilderness with his family, consisting of his wife Sariah and their sons Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. They traveled for three days until their pitched their tent in a valley by a riverside, where Lehi built an altar of stones and made an offering to God, giving thanks unto God. He called the name of the river "Laman", and it emptied into the Red Sea. When Lehi saw that the waters emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he told Laman to should be like the mighty river and run into the fountain of all righteousness. He also told Lemuel to be mightly like the valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of God. Laman and Lemuel murmured things against their father, believing that he was foolish to leave behind his riches, and that he was imagining things. They also did not believe that Jerusalem would be destroyed, and were against their father. Lehi did not speak to them until the frames shook before him, and they did not utter against him again, doing as he commanded.

Nephi, who was young and curious about the God, cried unto him, and God proceeded to visit him and soften his heart, making him believe all the words which had been spoken by his father; unlike his brothers, Nephi did not rebel against Lehi. He spoke to Sam, making known to him God's message, and Sam believed him. Laman and Lemuel did not hear Nephi's words, so Sam cried unto God for them. God spoke to Nephi, telling him that, because of his faith and his diligent search for God, he would prosper and be led to a promised land which was prepared for him. He also told him that his brothers would be cut off from the presence of God, and that, if Nephi kept his commandments, he would become a ruler and a teacher over his brethren. God also warned Nephi that, if they rebelled against him, he would curse them even with a sore curse, and they would have no power over Nephi's seed.

Chapter 3
Lehi's sons returned to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass, but Laban refused to give the plates up. Nephi exhorted and encouraged his brethren, but Laban stole their property and attempted to kill them. Laman and Lemuel smote Nephi and Sam and were reproved by an angel, occurring in 592 BC.

Nephi returned from speaking with God to the tent of his father, where Lehi told him that he had dreamed of God commanding him that his children should return to Jerusalem and recover the record of the Jews from the wealthy Laban. Nephi's brothers murmured, saying that it was a hard thing to do. Nephi told his father that he would do the things that God had commanded, making his father proud. Nephi and his brethren went back too Jeruslaem, where they consulted with each other. They then cast lots to see which of them would go in unto the house of Laban, with Laman receiving the lot. They talked as they sat in the house, and Laman desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the brass plates, which contained Lehi's genealogy. Laban was angry, and he thrust Laman from his presence, deciding to slay him for being a robber. Laman fled out of his presence and told his other brothers of Laban's actions, and Nephi told his brothers that they would be faithful in keeping the commandments, even if they murdered Laban. They returned to their old home to claim their gold, silver, and precious things. After they gathered their precious things, the brothers once more headed to Laban's home, where Laban lusted after the brothers' property. He sent his servants to slay the brothers and steal their property, and they were forced to leave behind their property and flee. They fled to the wilderness, where they hid in the cavity of a rock. Laman was angry with Nephi and with Lehi, and Lemuel followed in Lama's hatred. Laman and Lemuel spoke many hard words unto Nephi and Sam, and they smote them with a rod. However, an angel of God stood before them, telling them that they would go up to Jerusalem, while Sam and Nephi were revived. God also swore that Laban would be delivered to the brothers.

Chapter 4
Nephi slew Laban at God's commandment and then secured the plates of brass by stratagem - Zoram chose to join Lehi's family in the wilderness.

The brothers decided to return to Jerusalem, where they sought to be strong like Moses. The brothers went to Jerusalem, sneaking into Laban's house. Nephi beheld a drunken Laban and beheaded him with his own sword, justifying it by saying that God delivered him to his hands, that he sought to kill him, that he had ignored God's commandments, and that he had taken away the brothers' property. Nephi then took Laban's garments and put them upon his own body, and he also wore his armor. After he did so, he went into Laban's treasury, and he commanded Laban's servant, in Laban's voice, that he should go with him into the treasury. The servant, believing Nephi to be Laban, let him into the treasury. Nephi then came outside and told his scared brothers that he was Nephi, not Laban, and Nephi proceeded to capture the servant of Laban. The servant Zoram agreed to accompany the brothers back into the wilderness, and Nephi was pleased, as Zoram joining the brothers in the wilderness meant that the Judeans would not know where the brothers had gone. The brothers took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and they departed into the wilderness and journeyed into Lehi's tent.